Improved encircling suspender for garments



HARRIS H.' TINKER, OF NElV LONDON, CONNEOTIOU T.

INIPROVED ENCIRCLING SUSPENDER FOR GARMENTS.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. @,73, dated March 2, 1852.

To a/ZZ whom t nca/y concern:

Be it known that I, HARRIS II. TINKER, of New London, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented'a new anduseful Encircling Suspender Adapted to the Suspension of Garments for Males and Females, of which the following is a specification.

The nature of myinvention consists in surrounding the human body with alight spring of metal or other elastic substance having two pads or straps attached to the spring, which pads rest upon the hips of the person wearing the same. Thus by attaching the pantaloons or garments to the spring or suspender the weight of the same is supported upon the hips of the wearer. l

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l represents a perspective view of the suspender or spring; Fig. 2, a section of the front of the spring, showing the manner in which 'it is clasped together. Fig. 3 is a section of the spring, showing the manner of attaching the pads. Fig. 4 is a top view of the suspender, showing the method ot` passing it around the body. Fig. 5 represents a pad attached to the spring by a single pivot, which I sometimes use instead of the pad, as shown at Fig. l. Fig. 6 represents one of my suspenders tted to the body. Fig. 7 represents a circular pad surrounding the buckle.

d, Fig. I, represents the spring having the ends lapping one on the other.

I attach two or more bands to one end of the spring, as shown at c CZ, (or instead of one band covering all the space between the bands cand (L) having a space on the inside to receive the other end of the spring, which being passed through these spaces the bands c and d form clasps or bracelets to guide and retain the connection of the two ends of the spring, thereby forming an oval girdle or belt.

I make a number of holes in the spring, as shown at b h, (Sac. I then X a small pin or stud to the small spring e, as shown at f. This pin, passing through the outer thickness of the belt a, falls into the holes b h, thereby locking the two ends of the belt. The pin is withdrawn by means of a Hat button-shaped knob attached to the pin, as shown on Fig. 2 at g.

I make the pads or straps h h of buckskin or other suitable material in such form as to make them set easy upon the hip of the wearer, and attach them to the belt, as shown at Fig. 3, by the plate c' and the buckle j,

where h represents the pad or strap.

I sometimes form the pad on a metallic plate covered with buckskin or other suitable material and cushioned to make it comfortable to the wearer, as shown at 7c on Fig. 5, where Z represents a screw passing through a hole in the belt a and enters a nut cut in the metallic plate of the pad, so that the belt may vibrate upon these pivots to suit the bending motion of the body of the wearer. the screw l, so that the pad may be shifted nearer to or farther from the ends of the spring, several holes in the same, so that the wearer may give the pads a proper adjustment to the hips.

k on Fig. 7 represents a stuffed pad made in the form of a circle and surrounding the buckle j. This pad is slipped ott from the buckle onto the pad or strap 7L to give access to the buckle. I cover the side of this circular pad, resting against the belt or spring b, with leather or other suitable material, through which is made an oblong orifice through which the buckle passes, holding the pad in its proper position. The use of this pad (one of which is to cover each of the four buckles jjjj on Fig. I) is to prevent the belt from coming against the body of the wearer.

m on Fig. 4 represents a section of the human body, the ends ot thebelt being separated in the act of being put on or taken off.

Fig. 6 represents the belt or suspender set in its proper position on a person having the pads 7L 71. resting upon the hips. The dotted lines represent the garment sustained bythe suspender or belt, the garments being fitted with hooks, clasps, or loops, or other contrivance to attach them to the suspender.

The advantages of my invention are that the weight of the garments is sustained on the hips instead of being suspended to the shoulders, as is customary, thereby relieving the vertebral column of the depending weight and placing it where it is most easily susa I make to receive tained; also, the suspender holding the garments at a little distance from the body allows free space for the dilation of the chest, and will supersede the necessity of abdominal supports in many cases Where the Weakness may be occasioned by girting the body With tight Waistbands or cords to sustain the garments. When Worn by females, the connection of the ends of the belt, instead of being placed in front of the body, as represented at Fig. 4L and at c, Fig. G, is placed at the back of the Wearer,When the garments are made to open at the back of the person, so that the suspender1 or belt and the garments may be eyes I cover the metallic parts of my suspender with kid or other suitable material, underlying it with cotton or other soft substance to render the belt agreeable to the touch and to prevent corrosion from the moisture of the body.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of Jthe spring or belt a with the straps 7L h and the circular pads k, Fig. 7, for the purpose of sustaining garments upon the human body, arranged substantially as set lorth in the above specification.

HARRIS Il. TINKER. ln presence of- F. N. HILDRETH, J. P. F. LORINGL 

